Cold temperatures hurting cotton farmers

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) -

The weather in Lubbock has been wild - fluctuating up and down like a roller coaster with no end in sight. It has brought harsh winds and caused property damage, but area cotton farmers are also feeling the pain.

"The cold is unprecedented, we're not used to anything like this," said Idalou cotton producer Scott Harmon. "All the wheat is essentially ruined now, not going to make any grain."

Scott Harmon's family is used to planting in the Lubbock weather and has been doing so successfully for generations, but this year is different.

"You know my Granddad always planted with a coat on because he said it would be warm the next day. He wasn't worried about the cold, but this is kind of a strange year," Harmon said.

For cotton growers these cold snaps are coming at a very bad time. According to Harmon, the last two years have been record busts, meaning there wasn't much cotton yield - and with a shortened growing season and no water, this could be a another bad yield.

"The soil profile is depleted substantially. A couple of inches would get up and going but for how long? Not very long. It's going to take quite a deal to turn this thing around," he said.

They face an impending deadline of June 5, 2013 to plant for insurance purposes and that has to happen regardless of the temperature.